7.28.2005

My review of the Fiorenzato Briccoletta is live at Home-Barista.com now.It was really enjoyable. I learned a huge amount.

And today I had a totally amazing espresso. It was an experimental blend from Andrew Barnett at Ecco Caffe. Just unbelievable balanced. So round and finessed and polished... lovely marzipan and honey and caramel and date... truly wonderful.

7.24.2005

I'll put it this way... it was one of those "heavy hitter" tables. There were some seriously insane coffees to check out. Duane, me and for a while Matt were the lucky ones to get to taste 'em all.

Brazil Sul de Minas Yellow Bourbon "Top Sky" - Far more reminiscent of a coffee from Peru (or even Colombia) than what you expect from Brazil. Sweet, smooth, balanced, nice acidity. A nice coffee.

Brazil Mogiana Fazenda Cachoeira Yellow Bourbon - Wow. Tons of tropical fruit and persimmon, a little medicinal note, particularily in the aroma. Very, very sweet but not flabby, has good acidity. As it cooled, held structure though it became a touch astringent. A really lovely coffee with crazy complexity of fruit cough syrup bomb action.

Panama Don Patchi Estate - Another one of these crazy Latin geisha coffees. The round butteryness of it was amazing. Super sweet - like butterscotch and old rum. Tons of fruit acidity, but with the low-end to balance. Powdered chocolate complexity - insane and gorgeous.

Panama Hacienda La Esmerelda - What can i say that's not already been said? Moscato d'Asti candy with rose water and a chocolate/berry stir stick. Bergamot, clemantine, tangerine syrup, pollen craziness. One of the world's greatest coffees. So close to being over-the-top but keeps it all together somehow.

El Salvador Finca Kilimanjaro - Now this is my kind of coffee. Far more subtle than either of the above geisha monsters - and I like this "deep waters" kind of coffee. There is a ton going on, but it's so balanced that you almost miss it. It's a nice coffee when hot, but when it cools... things get serious. Mostly SL28 - and it shows. Raspberry, chocolate sweetness with a ton of tart fruit acidity. A superstar.

Sumatra Peaberry - Resinous craziness. Nothing like what you think of when you think Sumatra. Lots of acidity, little to no earthy funky mushroom. Instead it's a chocolate cake, filled with raspberry preserve and then finished with a herbal pinon/rosemary resin oil extract. So far beyond...

Cupping with folks like Duane is so amazing. It's the thing I miss the most from my old job.